Expert: Jamie Yocono - 9/14/2007

Question
I want to make a skirt for a oval coffee table from 4/4 cherry 5" lumber.  What is the best way to figure the spacing of the kerf slot and their depth?  The longest skirt section will be about 25".

Answer
Hi Calvin,

If you had asked me this question at the beginning of the summer, I wouldn't have been able to answer it. Luckily, I recently attended a wood forming seminar by one of the premier woodworkers of our time- Michael Fortune. Lucky for you, he addressed this exact question.

And while he offered no scientific reasons for this formula... well.... who cares?  :)  He said if you follow these guidelines, this will work for 99% of any kerf bend you want to make. I believe him, he's been doing it a long time, and he has gobs of work to show for it.

For kerf bending, you want to space your kerfs 5/8" apart. How deep? Within 1/8" of the face. Pretty simple.

He recommended setting up a jig on the tablesaw, so that you can cut these kerfs accurately, over and over. Or a radial arm saw, if you have one. I prefer it cut them on the RAS, I just like seeing what I'm doing. But a tablesaw will work fine.

Last thing- I'm sure you'll remember this, but it's worth mentioning. Make sure you leave some unkerfed areas on both ends of the aprons, so that you can machine your apron joints. You probably don't want to kerf all the way up to the joint, it could weaken the joint.

Good luck with your table, write back if you need anything else.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com